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Biologists discover new way in which bacteria hijack healthy cells during infection

Purdue University biologists identified a new way in which bacteria hijack healthy cells during infection, which could provide a target for new antibiotics.

13 Jul 2011

Can you drink too much water? Experts say yes

Drinking adequate amounts of water is said to prevent kidney damage, help lose weight and increase concentration. However experts now warn that drinking eight glasses of water a day is not good after all – and could be harmful. They say that scientific claims behind long-standing government guidelines are worse than ‘nonsense’. The NHS – along with leading doctors and nutritionists – advises the public to drink about 1.2 litres (or two-and-a-half pints) of water per day.

13 Jul 2011

Maternal smoking during pregnancy causes serious birth defects

To dispel any uncertainty about the serious harm caused by smoking to babies and pregnant women, the first-ever comprehensive systematic review of all studies over the past 50 years has established clearly that maternal smoking causes a range of serious birth defects including heart defects, missing/deformed limbs, clubfoot, gastrointestinal disorders, and facial disorders.

12 Jul 2011

Study confirms link between phthalates and thyroid hormone levels in humans

A link between chemicals called phthalates and thyroid hormone levels was confirmed by the University of Michigan in the first large-scale and nationally representative study of phthalates and BPA in relation to thyroid function in humans.

12 Jul 2011

Lab grown windpipe saves cancer patient

A team of doctors have replaced the cancer affected windpipe of a patient with an organ made in a lab. This is a medical breakthrough for regenerative medicine. The patient no longer has cancer and is expected to have a normal life expectancy, doctors said.

10 Jul 2011

Corporates profit from pinkwashing

Companies that try to increase sales of their products by adopting the color pink and pink ribbons to imply that they support breast cancer research-a practice called pinkwashing-but at the same time permit the use of chemicals shown to cause cancer are committing a form of social injustice against women, according to a thought-provoking article in Environmental Justice.

8 Jul 2011

NUS, NTU students win WFF's Ph.D. Prizes for environmental research

Antibiotics, which are among the world's most widely prescribed medicines, can easily find their way into rivers and lakes because they tend not to be removed through the normal sewage process.

8 Jul 2011

Study: Breastfeeding does not appear to protect women from MS relapses

New research finds breastfeeding doesn't appear to protect against multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses, despite previous studies suggesting there may be a protective role. The research is published in the July 6, 2011, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

7 Jul 2011

Viewpoints: Preserving Medicaid; drug risks, headlines; health law flaw

The poor and disabled people who rely on Medicaid to pay their medical bills could be in grave jeopardy in this sour I've-got-mine political climate. Older Americans, a potent voting bloc, have made clear that they won't stand for serious changes in Medicare. Medicaid, however, provides health insurance for the most vulnerable, who have far less political clout.

7 Jul 2011

New technology can inexpensively render medical linens, clothing permanently germ-free

A University of Georgia researcher has invented a new technology that can inexpensively render medical linens and clothing, face masks, paper towels-and yes, even diapers, intimate apparel and athletic wear, including smelly socks-permanently germ-free.

6 Jul 2011

Study helps explain why fatty foods are complicit in weight gain

Recent studies have revealed potato chips and french fries to be the worst contributors to weight gain - and with good reason. Have you ever wondered why you can't eat just one chip or a single fry? It's not just the carbohydrates at fault.

5 Jul 2011

New book explores research into viral nanoparticles

Viruses that attack plants, insects, mammals and bacteria are proving effective platforms for delivering medicines and imaging chemicals to specific cells in the body, as building blocks for tiny battery electrodes and computer data storage devices, and other nanotechnologies.

1 Jul 2011

New technique can remove oil spill from soil

It is well known just how damaging oil can be to nature. It is also well known just how difficult it can be to clean up after a spill or contamination. Removing an oil spill or contamination from soil is hard and requires very different techniques to removing oil from water.

30 Jun 2011

Rodent olfaction and the chemistry of instinct

The mechanics of instinctive behavior are mysterious. Even something as simple as the question of how a mouse can use its powerful sense of smell to detect and evade predators, including species it has never met before, has been almost totally unknown at the molecular level until now.

29 Jun 2011

CBMi creates iPad app for exploring human genomic information

Navigating the human genome with software that you can view on an iPad® sounds pretty impressive, until perhaps you reflect that nature has already encoded trillions of copies of this in your chromosomes. Then again, printing that data using ink and paper would produce a mind-staggering pile of pages—so viewing it on an iPad® may be impressive after all.

24 Jun 2011

NJIT research professor's work on sugar-based chemicals tops ACS must-read list

NJIT Research Professor Mike Jaffe's recent book chapter about sugar-based chemicals is topping the American Chemical Society (ACS) book series' must-read list.

22 Jun 2011

International representatives discuss whether to add chrysotile asbestos to hazardous chemical treaty

On Monday, representatives from 143 countries met in Geneva to discuss whether chrysotile asbestos "should be added to an international treaty regulating the trade in hazardous chemicals," CBC Radio reports.

22 Jun 2011

EPA, ACS present 2011 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award to BioAmber

BioAmber, Inc. has been awarded a 2011 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, presented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Chemical Society (ACS). The Award promotes technology that provides substantial environmental benefits using green chemistry. BioAmber's platform was recognized as the leading technology in the field of succinic acid.

20 Jun 2011

Bruker launches Hyperspectral Imaging System for detection of gases

Following Bruker's acquisition of Sigma ElectroOptics in December 2010, Bruker is now launching its expanded product line for the remote infrared detection of gases in industrial, environmental and homeland security applications.

20 Jun 2011

Australian Government announces new tax credit system for R&D activities

Providing a valuable incentive for U.S. investment in Australia, the Australian Government announced an agreement under which the Parliament will enact a AU$1.8 billion R&D tax credit that will deliver funding to innovative firms in industries including advanced manufacturing, information and communications technologies, and biotechnology.

18 Jun 2011